Youngstown State vs. South Dakota State
Nov. 11, 2023 | Stambaugh Stadium
Youngstown, Ohio | Noon
Broadcast Information
TV – ESPN+ (Brad Wells, Kelly Burke, Danan Hughes)
Radio Network – 570 AM WKBN (Bob Hannon, Steve Leslie, Ron Potesta, Mike Orto)
Internet Radio – 570wbkn.iheart.com
App Audio - iHeartRadio App
Penguins
Record: 6-3, 4-2 MVFC
Last Game: at Indiana State (W, 19-7)
Head Coach: Doug Phillips (Fourth Season)
X (Formerly Twitter): @ysufootball
Jackrabbits
Record: 9-0, 6-0 MVFC
Last Game: vs. North Dakota State (W, 33-16)
Head Coach: Jimmy Rogers (First Season)
X (Formerly Twitter): @GoJacksFB
Series History
All-Time Series: SDSU leads 16-7
In Youngstown: SDSU leads 10-4
Win Streak: SDSU, 4 games
Last Meeting: SDSU 47-16 (2021)
The No. 22 Youngstown State football team plays its final home game of the regular-season against No. 1 South Dakota State on Saturday afternoon.
Kickoff for the contest at Stambaugh Stadium is set for Noon. The game is available on ESPN+, WKBN 570 AM and iHeartRadio.
The Penguins (6-3 overall, 4-2 in MVFC) picked up their third consecutive win beating Indiana State 19-7 last Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Terre Haute, Ind. YSU trailed 7-0 before scoring the final 19 points and holding ISU scoreless the final three quarters.
After falling behind 7-0, QB Mitch Davidson scored on an 18-yard keeper late in the first quarter to tie the ballgame. Neither team could muster points in the second quarter and YSU took a 13-7 lead after three following Andrew Lastovka 35 and 45-yard field goals in the third period. The Penguins added a score on a 37-yard run by QB Beau Brungard for the final margin.
The defense was solid throughout the game holding the Sycamores to just 191 yards of offense, 47 snaps, a 20:31 time of possession and 0-for-10 on third downs. YSU registered four sacks in the contest and forced two key fourth-quarter turnovers.
South Dakota State (9-0, 6-0) has won and FCS-best 23 straight games after dominating rival North Dakota State, 33-16 on Saturday in Brookings. The Jackrabbits trailed 9-7 midway through the second quarter before erupting for 23 unanswered points taking a 30-9 lead. After NDU closed within 30-16, the Jacks kicked a field goal in the final minute to seal the win.
SDSU has scored more than 30 points in seven games this season while holding its opponents to fewer than 16 on seven occasions.
YSU's last win in the series came back in 2017, a 19-7 victory at Stambaugh Stadium. The Jackrabbits own a 16-7 all-time series lead, including a 47-16 win in Youngstown in November of 2021.
On Saturday against South Dakota State, Youngstown State will honor the following seniors prior to the contest: Bryce Oliver, Quincy Lenton, Dra Rushton, Alex Howard, Greg Benton Jr., D'Marco Augustin, Chris Fitzgerald, Tyshon King, Mitch Davidson, Gage Salyers, Dylan Wudke, Andres Lehrmann, Marcus Hooker, Alijah Curtis, Mike Morris, Ryan Johnson, Jake Benio, Devin Lee and Haeden Gump.
Offense Putting Up Points
In their eight games against FCS opponents this season the Penguins have scored at least 31 points in seven of them. In five of those contests, the Guins have registered 40 or more.
YSU has set a school record with six consecutive 30-plus point contests and tied the school mark for 40-point games in a season with five (2016, 2001 and 1978 are the others).
The Penguins opened the season by scoring 52 points against Valparaiso before adding 48 against Robert Morris to conclude the non-league season. In five league games, YSU has scored 44 against Missouri State, 41 vs. UNI and Illinois State and 31 each against Southern Illinois and South Dakota.
In the eight FCS games, YSU is averaging 38.3 points per game. In their six MVFC contests, the Guins are scoring 34.5 points per game.
Passing Numbers Skyrocket
The Penguins have unleashed their aerial attack the past four contests with 83 receptions for 1,139 yards and 11 scores. Through the first five games of the season, YSU had just four passing touchdowns.
Against Missouri State, YSU threw for 415 yards, the third most in a game in school history. Only a 446-yard effort vs. Eastern Kentucky in 1985 and 418 at Western Illinois in 2018 rank higher. It was third time this year the Guins had thrown for more than 300 yards in a game.
At Indiana State, YSU passed for 254 yards as Mitch Davidson was 25-of-37.
Tough On the Run
The Penguins are one of just 12 FCS teams allowing fewer than 100 yards rushing per game.
Through nine games, YSU is allowing just 94.3 yards per game which ranks ninth in the FCS. Seven times this year, the Guins have allowed fewer than 111 yards in a game, highlighted by a season-low six against Southern Illinois.
On 231 carries against, the Guins have surrendered just 849 yards this season. However, 457 of those yards have come on 12 carries. On the other 219 attempts, YSU has allowed 392 yards (1.78 per rush).
Scoring on the Ground
Through the first nine games of the season, YSU has scored 24 rushing touchdowns. Last year in 11 games, the Guins had 20 and that was with first-team All-America running back Jaleel Mclaughlin in the backfield.
First-year TB Tyshon King leads the squad with nine rushing scores. TB Dra Rushton has seven scores while QB Mitch Davidson has added five rushing TDs.
In total, five Guins have scored a rushing touchdown. In 2022, only four Penguins scored on the ground.
King Penguin Impresses
Transfer running back Tyshon King has been a strong addition to the program since coming in from Northern Michigan.
In nine games at YSU, King has rushed for 722 yards on 130 carries and scored a team-high nine touchdowns.
Four times he has rushed for more than 111 yards, all of which have come at Stambaugh Stadium, including a career-high 148 yards vs. Illinois State.
On three occasions he has been named the MVFC Newcomer of the Week for his efforts.
Rushton With Career Year
TB Dra Rushton has had the best stretch of his YSU career last month.
In the five contests he had 77 carries for 357 yards and four touchdowns. He also had an important receiving touchdown in the win over Illinois State.
At South Dakota, Rushton rushed for a career-high 116 yards on 16 carries. He ripped off a career-long rush of 33 yards vs. the Coyotes.
Against Illinois State he had 109 yards on 19 carries. He had a key touchdown reception in the fourth quarter vs. the Redbirds.
This year he has rushed for 468 yards on 110 carries. Entering this season he had 387 yards on 87 rushing attempts.
Lastovka Making Kicks
First-year PK Andrew Lastovka has been a major contributor after taking over for three-year starter Colt McFadden this season.
Lastovka is 11-of-12 on field-goal attempts this season. He made a season-high three field goals against Missouri State before making two of three, including a career-long 45-yarder at Indiana State. He is 35-of-36 on PAT kicks this season as well.
Against Illinois State, he kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired in YSU's 41-38 win.
The walk-off winner vs. Illinois State was almost exactly one year since Colt McFadden made a 42-yard field goal as time expired to beat Western Illinois.
Strong on Special Teams
The Penguins special teams have performed well through the first seven contests.
YSU ranks 11th in the nation in net punting at 40.7 yards and is third in the nation with four blocked punts.
Michael Voitus blocked a Valparaiso punt and Jaylen Castleberry returned it for a touchdown. Against RMU, Daryan Bowling was able to get his hands on a punt. At UNI, Bryce Oliver blocked a punt that was recovered by Deamontae Diggs and set the Guins up at the UNI nine. Against MSU, it was Diggs with a block that set up a field goal just before halftime.
Oliver Closing in on Flea
WR Bryce Oliver has been a big producer for the Guins since his arrival and he could soon be the program's leader in career touchdown receptions.
Oliver has 23 touchdown catches and trails only Jim "Flea" Ferranti by just two with three regular-season games to play.
Oliver has played in 29 games and has a touchdown reception in 16 contests (four in 2023, seven in 2022 and five in 2021).
In the last 13 games he has played against MVFC foes dating back to October 2022, he has caught touchdown passes in 10 contests.
In his YSU career, Oliver has 127 receptions for 1,751 yards and 23 touchdowns. This season he has 42 catches for 664 yards and five scores.
Charleston Back on Field
One of the great stories this season has been the return to the lineup of CJ Charleston.
Charleston missed last year after suffering an Achilles tendon injury in fall camp.
He has 423 yards on 28 receptions and three touchdowns this year. Entering the season he had 27 catches for 361 yards in his career.
He had a career-high six catches for 119 yards against RMU in September. He has touchdown receptions against Valparaiso, Illinois State and Missouri State. His 72-yard touchdown reception vs. ISU was a career best.
The season-opener against Valpo marked his first game since Nov. 20, 2021, which was at Southern Illinois. Since his debut in 2019, has caught 55 passes for 820 yards in 26 games played.
Howard Having Big Year
LB Alex Howard leads the Penguins with 59 total tackles (32-27) on the year. That total crushes his 2022 season total of 34.
He's had at least five tackles in all but one game with a high of nine against Valparaiso and Illinois State.
He has been credited with sacks against Valparaiso, Ohio State and Southern Illinois. Last time out he had six tackles at South Dakota.
Last year, Howard had 34 total tackles and just 3.5 TFLs playing in 10 games while making three starts.
Davidson First Over 2K in 10
QB Mitch Davidson is the first YSU quarterback to pass for more than 2,000 yards since Kurt Hess in 2013. This year, Davidson has completed 170-of-241 passes (70.5 percent) for 2,169 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also has five rushing scores this year.
He's tied the school record with three 300-yard passing games in one season joining Denny Klembara on the short list.
Davidson threw for 390 yards vs. Missouri State, 332 at UNI and had 303 against Robert Morris. He has four touchdown passes in each of the last two games. In 10 of his 15 career starts, he's thrown for more than 200 yards.
Davidson had an impressive performance during the 2022 campaign completing 119-of-201 passes for 12 touchdowns and just one interception.
He has thrown just three interceptions in his last 337 attempts.
Career 300-Yard Passing Games
1. Trenton Lykes (1984-87) - 4
1. Denny Klembara (1968-71) - 4
3. Mitch Davidson (2018-Present) - 3
3. Brandon Summers (2008-09) - 3
3. Ron Jaworski (1969-72) - 3
O-Line Features Strength
YSU's offensive line features four of five starters from a season ago. That group has a large amount of starting experience with Jaison Williams (36 starts), Aidan Parker (34 starts), David Metzler (27 starts) and Ryan Johnson (24 starts) leading the way. Redshirt freshman Desmeal Leigh has started nine games at left tackle.
Preseason MVFC Accolades
WR Bryce Oliver, OL Jaison Williams and DE Dylan Wudke were all named preseason first-team All-MVFC selections. DT Chris Fitzgerald and LS Sam Merryman were named to the preseason second team while TB/TE Jake Benio, LB Greg Benton and DB Quincy Lenton were tabbed preseason honorable-mention.
Experience On the D-Line
The Guins have a wealth of experience on the defensive line as well.
The defensive line features veterans Dylan Wudke (33 starts), Chris Fitzgerald (30), Anthony Johnson (15), Andres Lehrmann (nine) and Devin Lee (five). Fitzgerald has started 30 straight games while Wudke has started 28.
Numbers of Note
• Turnover Margin: Since 1996, YSU is 156-48 when they win or tie the turnover margin. When committing more turnovers, YSU is just 30-87.
Since 1990 YSU is:
• 177-22-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 21 points in a game.
• 156-23 when rushing for 200-plus yards.
• 180-32 when scoring 28-or-more points.
• 96-14-1 when holding opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing in a game.
• 209-23 when leading entering the fourth.
• 95-3-2 holding opponents to 10 points-or-less.
• YSU is 21-6 when a back rushes for more than 200 yards in a game.
